How to get cheaper broadband: Price rises for 2014

Most of us are probably spending too much on our broadband packages, a situation set to worsen with many providers planning to increase their prices in the new year.

Luckily, there are a number of ways you can cut down on your monthly outgoings, either by switching providers or switching plans.

In this quick guide we’ll point out what’s going up price-wise in 2014 and show you how you could save some money.

Save the piggy bank by shopping around for a better broadband bundle

Broadband only without line rental

Most of us make calls on mobiles these days, making landline phones basically redundant. If you have a broadband bundle that includes phone calls that you don’t use then you have to question the worth of paying for that service.

Of all the fixed-line ISPs it’s only Virgin Media which offers a truly ‘broadband only’ service where you don’t pay for line rental or calls – you just get broadband.

If you can get wireless broadband in your home then you’re essentially getting a broadband only service, and as there’s no physical ‘line’ there’s no line rental to pay.

Set-up costs for both of these services can be expensive (typically around £100 a time) and unless you’ve already stumped up for installation, it’s perhaps self-defeating if you’re looking to save money immediately.

The main cash benefit of getting or wireless is that you’ll never have to pay for line rental.

When getting broadband from a traditional fixed line ISP, you could pay around £14.50/month for standard line rental, which works out at £174 over the year. Line rental prices also periodically rise, despite Ofcom’s efforts to control them.

Wireless broadband doesn’t have the same near-nationwide footprint that most ISP provide. ISPs like WiSpire, eXwavia and Vispa operate in Norwich, Wales and Manchester and Warrington respectively. Chances are if there’s a wireless ISP in your neck of the woods you’ll know about it.

Broadband Only with line rental

Read our feature Do I need to pay line rental for broadband?While we’ve just trashed the idea of getting broadband with useless landline calls, paradoxically you’re more likely to be better off if you take a bundle deal.

For example Plusnet’s Unlimited Broadband package, when taken on it’s own, costs £12.49/month plus line rental, which costs £14.50/month as standard if you rent your line from Plusnet.

By comparison, the Unlimited Broadband and Calls package costs £9.99/month plus £14.50/month for line rental, so by going for the bundled package you’re actually saving money.

Tesco Broadband Only costs £12/month without line rental. Right now you’re able to get Tesco Broadband with calls and line rental (£14.90/month) for free if you order before January 31.

Unless you can find a provider willing to sell you line rental for less than £1.90/month, going for the bundle deal is the cheaper option.

TalkTalk’s recently launched SimplyBroadband costs a grand total of £17.90/month, with broadband priced at £2.50/month and line rental priced at £15.40/month. There are no calls or extra features bundled with this service which is, as it says, simply broadband.

Line Rental Saver: Pay for a year’s worth up front

Line rental prices in 2014 for BT, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and PlusnetLine rental saver options are a good idea if you want to save money in the long run. While you’ll have to stump up a big sum initially it will pay off over a year.

BT’s line rental saver costs £141 for 12 months which will save you £44.40, if you paid the standard rate of £15.45/month for 12 months.

As the standard rate is going up from January 4, 2014 onwards to £15.99/month, you’d save £50.88/month.

Sky’s line rental saver offer costs £119.40 up front. As the standard monthly rate is £15.40, this will save you £54.60.

Cheap Broadband Deals

If you just want a cheap broadband package, consider switching to an ISP like Direct Save Telecom, which is currently offering a £1.95/month broadband and calls package. This is 24 months long and you’ll need to pay line rental at either the standard rate of £14.75/month or £119.40 for a year’s worth.

In total, the monthly cost works out at £16.70 with standard line rental. Taking the line rental saver option will see you saving £57.60, paying the equivalent of £11.90/month.